insult
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to treat or speak to insolently or with contemptuous rudeness; affront.
- Antonyms:
- compliment
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to affect as an affront; offend or demean.
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Archaic. to attack; assault.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
an insolent or contemptuously rude action or remark; affront.
- Antonyms:
- compliment
-
something having the effect of an affront.
That book is an insult to one's intelligence.
-
Medicine/Medical.
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an injury or trauma.
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an agent that inflicts this.
-
-
Archaic. an attack or assault.
verb
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to treat, mention, or speak to rudely; offend; affront
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obsolete to assault; attack
noun
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an offensive or contemptuous remark or action; affront; slight
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a person or thing producing the effect of an affront
some television is an insult to intelligence
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med an injury or trauma
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to make an unfair or unacceptable situation even worse
Usage
What is an insult? An insult is a rude action or remark meant to harm someone’s reputation or hurt their feelings. Insults come in many forms, often attacking the mental or physical characteristics of someone or something. To insult someone is to offend or demean them, as by making harmful remarks. An insult is also something that has the effect of a harmful remark. For example, you could say that your father telling you how to do something that you know how to do is an insult to your intelligence, even though your father was trying to be helpful rather than insulting. You can feel insulted without someone intentionally being rude because feelings are unplanned reactions, meaning some people find it best to think about whether the insult was intended or not. Insults are sometimes exchanged lightheartedly among friends just for fun. Example: How dare she insult me like that on such an important day!
Synonym Usage
Insult, indignity, affront, slight imply an act that injures another's honor, self-respect, etc. Insult implies such insolence of speech or manner as deeply humiliates or wounds one's feelings and arouses to anger. Indignity is especially used of inconsiderate, contemptuous treatment toward one entitled to respect. Affront implies open disrespect or offense shown, as it were, to the face. Slight may imply inadvertent indifference or disregard, which may also indicate ill-concealed contempt.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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insultableadjective
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preinsultverb (used with object)
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insulternoun
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quasi-insultedadjective
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uninsultedadjective
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uninsultableadjective
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have insultedperfect
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has insultedperfect 3rd person singular
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insultssingular 3rd person
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are insultingprogressive
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am insultingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been insultingperfect progressive
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has been insultingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is insultingprogressive 3rd person singular
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insultingparticiple
Past
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had insultedperfect
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were insultingprogressive plural
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had been insultingperfect progressive
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was insultingprogressive singular
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insultedparticiple
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insultedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of insult
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin insultāre “to jump on, insult,” equivalent to in- in- 2 + -sultāre, combining form of saltāre “to jump”; see saltant
Explanation
If you insult someone, you have offended that person — either intentionally or unintentionally — through your actions or words. You might insult your host if you refuse to try the dessert he made from pasta, nuts, and chocolate sauce. As a noun, an insult means rude words or actions. If you tell the umpire he needs glasses, then you've made a verbal insult. If, after the umpire calls your team out, you make an obscene gesture in his general direction, you've made another kind of insult. Either insult can potentially get you thrown out of the game.
Vocabulary lists containing insult
English Words Derived from French, List 1
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Because of Winn-Dixie
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Sarah, Plain and Tall
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The idea that valuing this in a rational way for tax purposes is somehow too hard is an insult to our intelligence.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
Losing their captain and principal scorer is bad enough but losing him for little or no money might be deemed insult added to injury.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
Maybe calling someone a birdbrain shouldn’t be the insult we assume.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
Mallori Johnson plays her sister Anaia: shy, retreating and “emotional,” a descriptor that lands like an insult on her psyche.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Piece of friendly advice: Never insult your girlfriend’s dancing.
From "Linked" by Gordon Korman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
